Dispensing mechanism



United States Patent 3,182,867 DISIENSING MECHANISM John M. Barosko, Kenosha, and John C. Krug, Racine, Wis, assignors to Walker Manufacturing Company, Racine, Wis., a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 18, 1963, Ser. No. 324,306 8 Claims. (Cl. 222-486) This invention relates generally to a fluid dispensing mechanism, and more particularly, to .a liquid spray device whose flow pattern may be varied in accordance with a wide variety of diverse applications.

The dispensing mechanism of the present invention is characterized by an extremely compact and simply designed unit having a helically configured adjustment means which is rotatable to control the flow pattern of the discharged fluid.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved fluid dispensing device of the above character which is adapted to progressively distribute a fluid along a longitudinal path.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved dispensing mechanism of the above character in which the length of the discharge flow pattern is adjustable along a longitudinal path.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved dispensing mechanism of the above character wherein the size of the discharge flow pattern may be adjusted during the operation thereof.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an improved dispensing mechanism of a simple design that can be easily assembled and economically manufactured.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the dispensing mechanism of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an elevated perspective view of the adjustment means employed in the dispensing mechanism of the present invention;

FIGURE 3 is a developed view of the structure illustrated in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the structure illustrated in FIGURE 1, taken along the line 44 thereof;

FIGURE 5 is a transverse crosssectional view of the structure illustrated in FIGURE 1, taken along the line 55 thereof; and 7 FIGURE 6 is a transverse cross-sectional view simila-r to FIGURES 4 and 5, taken along the line 6-6 of FIGURE 1.

Referring now to the drawing, a dispensing mechanism 10, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, comprises an elongated cylindrical dispenser housing '12 which defines a central longitudinally extending chamber '14, and a hollow cylindrical adjust: ment tube, generally designated by the numeral 16, rotatably mounted in the chamber 14. The housing 12 is closed on one end thereof, which end is formed with a radially upwardly extending inlet chamber 18 that is communicable with the cavity 14 by a longitudinally extending passageway 20. A liquid inlet or feed line 22, which is adapted to communicate fluid from a suitable fluid pumping apparatus (not shown) to the inlet chamber 18, is secured to the housing 12 by a fitting 24 which is threadably mounted within the chamber 18.

flow pattern of the liquid dispensed by the mechanism 10. An annular snap or similar compressive, lock-type ring 28 is disposed around an annular groove on the outer end of the adjustment tube 16 and is adapted to lockingly engage a similar groove around the inner periphery of the housing 12 to prevent leakage of fluid from the housing 12 and preclude any relative axial movement between the adjustment tube 16 and the housing 12.

As best seen in FIGURES 1 through 3, the adjustment tube 16 is formed with an elongated outlet passage 30 which, when the tube '16 is disposed in various rotational or radial positions in the housing 12, is adapted to register with .a preselected number of liquid discharge orifices, generally designated by the numeral 32, which are formed in a straight longitudinal row along the bottom side of the housing 12. 'The configuration or conformation of the outlet passage 30 may be most clearly seen in FIGURE 3 which is a developed view of the adjustment tube 16. As thus seen, the outlet passage 30 may be described as a symmetrical or isosceles triangle, the base side 34 of which extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tube 16. The adjacent sides 36 and 38 of the outlet passage 30 are symmetrical with respect to the transverse center line or midpoint of the tube 16 (the line 55 of FIGURE 1), and as illustrated, are generally arcuate in shape. When the tube 16 is in its operative form, as illustrated in FIGURE 2, it will be seen that the sides 36 and 38 of the outlet passage 30 assume a generally helical or spiral configuration from the ends of the base side 34 to the midpoint 40.

As representatively illustrated in FIGURES 4 through 6, it will be seen that the outlet passage 30 provides a The adjustment tube 16 is, coextensive within the. 1

tion of the tube 16 Within theoavity 14- to adjust the radial opening in the adjustment tube 16 which progressively varies in siZe from a mere slotat the outer ends of the side 34 to a passageway that extends approximately half way across or around the tube 16 at the midpoint 40 thereof. This may be clearly seen in FIGURE 5 which is a transverse cross-sectional view taken at the adjustment tubes midpoint 40. It will be seen in FIGURES 4 and 6 that the radial opening which the outlet passage 34) provides in the adjustment tube 16 extends approximately a quarter of the way or approximately 45 around the tube 16 at a point about half way between each end of the passageway 30 and the longitudinal midpoint 46 thereof.

With the aforegoing construction, it will be seen that as the adjustment tube 16 is rotated relative to the housing 12, the outlet passage 30 registers with certain preselected discharge orifices 32, thereby communicating the fluid being pumped into the cavity 14 to the orifices 32. More specifically, when the adjustment tube 16 is To tated in the direction of the arrow A in FIGURE 2, the outlet passage 30 initially registers with only the cen termost orifice 32a in the housing 12, thereby communicating fluid only to this orifice while concurrently ,preventing fluid from flowing to the other orifices 32. By virtue of the symmetrical and helical configuration of the outlet passages sides 36 and 38, as the adjustment tube 16' is rotated further in the direction of thc arrow A, the outlet passage 39 registers not only with the centermost orifice 32a but also with the successive orifices on each side of the orifice 32a. Similarly, still further rotation of the adjustment tube 16 progressively registers the outlet passage 30 with the next successive orifices on each side of those in which it is already registering. Thus, it will be seen that the tube 16 may be rotated from a position where the outlet passage 30 registers with only 7 the center one, three, or five orifices 32, etc., to a position Where the outlet passage 30 registers with all of the orifices 32 simultaneously, at which point it will be noted that thetube 16 will have been rotated approximately 180 from where the outlet passage 39 initially registered with only the centermost orifice 32a. It will be apparent, of course, that as the outlet passage 36 registers with the orifices 32, the flow pattern of the fluid discharged by the orifices 32 will become progressively wider along the longitudinal path of the mechanism 10, the actual width of which may be varied in incremental amounts by merely changing the relative position of the outlet passage 33* with respect to the row of orifices 32 or, in other words, merely by rotating the adjustment tube 16 within the housing 12.

If it is desired to decrease the length of the flow pattern, that is, if it is desired to reduce the number of orifices 32 through which the fluid is being discharged, it is merely necessary to rotate the adjustment tube 16 in the opposite direction of the arrow A. Furthermore, if it is desired to entirely preclude the discharge of fluid from the dispensing mechanism It), the adjustment tube 16 is merely rotated to a position where the outlet passage 36 is entirely out of registry with all of the orifices 32. All of these adjustments may, of course, be made while the mechanism It) is operating; i.e., discharging fluid.

It will be apparent that although the orifices 32 are shown as being substantially uniform in size, they may, for certain purposes, be of varying diameters. Also,

'while a single row of orifices is disclosed, several different row might be used. Moreover, it is conceivable to provide two or more axially and radially offset outlet passages of the character disclosed herein in the adjust: ment tube 16, thereby providing still further possible flow pattern variations.

In operation, the dispensing mechanism 14 of the present invention is operable to dispense a wide variety of fluids in many diverse applications. For example, the device might be used to distribute lubricating oils or liquid coolants in a continuous production line operation. The fluid which is to be dispensed is communicated to mechanism through the feed line 22 to the inlet chamber 18. From there, the fluid flows through the passageway 2% into the central chamber 14. The fluid then flows through the outlet passage and through those discharge orifices 32 which are in registry with the outlet passage so. Adjustment of the discharge flow pattern may thereafter be etfected by suitable rotation of the adjustment tube 16 within the housing 12, as hereinbefore described.

While it will be apparent that the exemplary embodiment herein illustrated is well calculated to fulfill the objects stated, it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptible to modification, variation and change without departing from the proper scope or fair meaning of the subjoined claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a liquid dispensing mechanism,

a first hollow cylindrical tube,

said outlet passage being symmetrical about its longitudinal midpoint and being at least partially defined by a spiral side which extends in a general longitudinal direction from said midpoint.

2. A dispensing mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein said outlet passage is provided in said rotatable tube and assumes a general triangular configuration in a developed view of said rotatable tube.

'3. A dispensing mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein said row of discharge orifices and said outlet passage are substantially coextensive.

4. A dispensing mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein said outlet passage extends approximately half way around said tube.

5. In combination with a fluid pump, a fluid dispensing mechanism which includes,

a hollow cylindrical dispenser housing defining a centr-al cavity and having a longitudinal row of discharge orifices formed along one side thereof,

means for communicating fluid into said cavity,

a hollow cylindrical adjustment tube coextensive with said housing and being rotatably mounted in said cavity,

means on said adjustment tube adapted to facilitate manual rotation thereof, and

a single outlet passage extending substantially along the entire length of said adjustment tube and adapted to communicate said discharge orifices,

said outlet passage being defined by at least one helically configured side and being adapted to control the number of said orifices through which said fiuid flows.

6. The combination as set forth in claim 5 wherein said outlet passage is symmetrical about the longitudinal midpoint of said adjustment tube and is partially defined by a side which extends parallel to the longitudinal axis or" said adjustment tube.

7. The combination as set forth in claim 5 wherein said outlet passage is defined by a first side which extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of said adjustment tube and by a second side which extend from one end of said first side and follows a'helical path to the other end of said first side. V

8. In a dispensing mechanism, a hollow cylindrical dispenser housing, said housing being formed with a row a second hollow cylindrical tube coextensive within a said first tube, means-for communicating liquid into said first tube, one of said tubes being provided with a longitudinal row of discharge orifices, and the other of said tubes having a singleoutlet passage formed therein adapted to communicate liquid to said discharge orifices, 7

of longitudinally aligned discharge orifices, and a hollow cylindrical tube rotatable within said housing, said tube being formed with an outlet passage defined by a first side extending parallel to said row of'discharge orifices,

' said passage further being defined by two helically con figured sides which intersect at a point substantially midway between the opposite ends of said row of orifices.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 735,638 8/03 Wickson 222-486 1,163,734 12/15 Binns 239-538 1,618,538 2/27 Kittinger 23997 LOUIS J. DEMBG, Primary Examiner, HADu LAN xamine fluid from said cavity to- 

1. IN A LIQUID DISPENSING MECHANSIM, A FIRST HOLLOW CYLINDRICAL TUBE, A SECOND HOLLOW CYLINDRICAL TUBE COEXTENSIVE WITHIN SAID FIRST TUBE, MEANS FOR COMMUNICATING LIQUID INTO SAID FIRST TUBE, ONE OF SAID TUBES BEING PROVIDED WITH A LONGITUDINAL ROW OF DISCHARGE ORIFICES, AND THE OTHER OF SAID TUBES HAVING A SINGLE OUTLET PASSAGE FORMED THEREIN ADAPTED TO COMMUNICATE LIQUID TO SAID DISCHARGE ORIFICES, SAID OUTLET PASSAGE BEING SYMMETRICAL ABOUT ITS LONGITUDINAL MIDPOINT AND BEING AT LEAST PARTIALLY DEFINED BY A SPIRAL SIDE WHICH EXTENDS IN A GENERAL LONGITUDINAL DIRECTION FROM SAID MIDPOINT. 